Feeding the Needy
The Buddha Maitreya Omaha Program reduces hunger by making daily, free, and nutritionally complete meal deliveries to the homeless, needy, hungry, poorly-sheltered, low-income, those with addiction and mental health problems, and families and others with a food gap in the Omaha city center and surrounding areas. The majority of the people served are homeless and live on the streets, in parks, in homeless shelters, in their vehicles, in tents, or in sleeping bags. These individuals are all ages, and verification of income level is not required.
We provide life-saving food needs and necessities during Omaha’s extreme winter and summer weather. Hot coffee and water are especially needed because heat stroke and hypothermia are very real here, and the beverages really help.
People especially appreciate receiving a healthy and delicious home-made meal–which plays an integral part in improving all aspects of health.
Each day we deliver 60 free, high-quality lunches that are:
• Protein based
• Low to no sugar
• Incorporate several food groups including:
o Protein
o Grains
o Fruits
o Nuts
Each lunch bag contains a high-protein sandwich with:
• Whole wheat bread
• Egg salad
• Tuna salad
• Cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Fresh tomatoes
• Lettuce
Or
• Peanut butter
• Low-sugar natural all fruit spread
And
• Mandarin orange or other whole piece of fruit
• Bag of 1/4 cup mixed nuts
• Three pieces dried fruit
• Cold water
• Hot coffee
Our goal is to create a balanced meal for anyone who is in need, one that is tasty and respectful of the person eating it. We put our heart into whatever we make as an offering of loving support in times of need.
We drive our van full of lunches to areas where homeless and needy are not regularly accessed by other services such as remote parks, parking lots, underpasses, long stretches of sidewalk beyond downtown, and to homeless shelters where high-quality protein based food is not always available.
We have been feeding the homeless in Omaha for almost 2 years, 365 days a year. We serve a changing population of various people who have, for whatever reason, come to be in need of a prepared meal and a sense of human connection.
There are three volunteers in Omaha who work full-time making the lunch/snack bags, taking orders, purchasing items, and delivering. We also have a group of local volunteers who help on weekends.
